21 Steps to Odd Della-Robbia
by classic.chennie
Summary: With 21 as her lucky number, Aelita asks out the twenty-first person she sees on her walk home from school. It all started on a chilly autumn day. A funny, cute, and lovable romance. Set in South Korea. Odd/Aelita.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Twenty-One

Autumn was gentle, kind, and tender. Cross-legged she sat on a wooden bench, under a yellowing tree as she tried to derive the latest equations assigned by Mrs. Meyer. While the breeze fluttered, so did the maple leaves along with her pink hair. The slight chill brought a flush to her cheeks, partly concealed by the thick mustard scarf around her neck.

" _'Lita-ya!"_ The girl barely glanced up to deduce a pair of long, milky legs and locks of dark hair. The bench trembled as it encountered another source of weight. But barely fazed, she only leaned further into her Calculus textbook.

"Classes are over, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Yumi, her best friend, berated. She pulled the textbook from Aelita's lap and closed it with a deafening _thump_.

Aelita sighed and shot her friend a wry smile, of calm amusement. "There's something called _homework_ , Yumi-ssi," she bit back with her usual wit. Smoothing out the pleats of her uniform skirt, she gently took the book back. "If I don't finish it, I'll fall behind."

"Aish." The look on her face told Aelita that she was exasperated. "There's no one in our class that's as smart as you. You place number one in every exam!"

"It doesn't just magically happen." Aelita stood up and swung her backpack over her shoulder. "I think I'm going to head home now since there's less distraction." Aelita smirked at her friend condescendingly.

Yumi's vigor didn't go away. The strong girl clenched her fists. "Oh, no, you're not-"

" _Yumi-ssi."_ Aelita shot her a look of warning.

"Can you at least appreciate your friend's concern for you?" Yumi placed her hands on her hips and scrunched her eyebrows so she could look scarier. "You always have your nose stuck up in a book! When was the last time you've gone out?"

Aelita swallowed and lifted her chin. "I don't have time to worry about those things," she replied loftily. But slowly, her expression began to fall.

"I just want you to enjoy your life." Aelita didn't say a thing in reply. "You're already eighteen. Girls your age usually would've dated at least once or twice by then!"

Aelita slouched her shoulders, pressing her book to her chest. It was true—when was she ever _not_ studying? And when was she ever out with a boy? Things like this normally didn't bother her, but now—she couldn't help but wonder.

.

Aelita frowned as she remembered what Yumi had said to her earlier.

So what if she hadn't had a boyfriend? And what if she was already 18? There wasn't a law against it, and she probably wasn't the only one. As Aelita took the route towards her home, backpack swinging with every step, she eventually let out a dejected sigh.

Now that she thought about it, it was _a bit_ sad. No boyfriend meant no hugs, no kisses, no gifts or good morning texts. It meant no love story.

But was that really obligatory? She couldn't be the only one out there, right?

Looking for an answer, she suddenly started observing the world around her. And she realized that she was wrong—she _was_ the only one. All around her were happy couples, walking past her with their arms linked.

"Am I the only one left out?" she whispered to herself. Lips pressed to a small pout, she wondered why so many couples decided to appear on her way home today. Were they doing this to her on purpose?

In all her years of existence, no boy's ever asked her out on a date. She has never received a bouquet of flowers, or cute notes in her locker. Maybe if she was as pretty as Yumi-ssi, she could have boys lined up at her door, too. Her classmates were always talking about their boyfriends.

As much as she didn't _want_ to feel irritated, it was as if the whole world was teamed up against her.

Aelita's fingers curled in anger. "AISH." Her entire 152-cm body trembled with determination. "NO MATTER WHAT, I'M GOING TO DATE SOMEONE BY THE END OF TODAY!" she exclaimed. So what if she asked the boy out? That was pretty normal nowadays.

An old woman walking beside her gave Aelita a weird look. She was shocked not only because she screamed, but also because of what she said, too. Aelita's face turned red as she apologized quickly, bowing to the woman several times.

Aigoo, why did she have to shout? Aelita bit her lip. Now she had even more reason to find a boy.

21 was her lucky number (well, it was her number on the class roster), and this neighborhood was small. Maybe the twenty-first person she encountered on her walk home could be the lucky guy. Her eyes brightened at the great idea—life was full of surprises, right?

She took a few steps down the path, posture straight with a new resolution.

"1." He was just a normal-looking guy. Just.. anyone you'd see around the neighborhood. Obviously, he wasn't the one. Aelita thought these things as he walked past her. _Goodbye, number 1_. She imagined herself bowing to him politely.

"2, 3, 4, 5." The next couple were an entire group of boys. But they were high schoolers, and Aelita certainly didn't want to be a noona. That made her think—what if number 21 was too young? Or too old? She prayed her luck would work things out for her.

 _…7…8…9…_

Confirming Aelita's fears, they were a trio of older men! Not only that, but they were gangsters with their matching bandanas and leather jackets. The one in the front had the two others trailing behind him. They looked like the mafia from those movies. Aelita tightened her grip around her backpack straps.

 _…10…..11..12…_

A multitude of problems. One was too skinny, another was too large. Not that Aelita needed a boy with chocolate abs, but she didn't want someone that looked as if he would be knocked over by the breeze. Nor did she want someone unhealthy. Number 12 looked like he could beat Aelita to a pulp, with muscles and veins popping out from every nook and cranny.

 _…13…14…_

Aelita's eyes widened. Girls! _Oh, please let 21 be a guy!_

 _…15…16…17…_

"18." Just when she was about to lose hope, Aelita's eyes turned into doe eyes from pure admiration. Oh, he was _so_ beautiful. Just the sight of him was enough to make all her irritation and tiredness vanish.

She didn't realize she was smiling at him until he chuckled and smiled back. _Did he… just wink at me_? Aelita blinked in a daze. God really did love her!

But then… he was walking away. Aelita quickly spun around and caught sight of his back profile. Even that was perfect. She couldn't let him exit from her life! She was about to follow him, but then she realized something.

He wasn't number 21.

But how could she find someone else like number 18 with just three more to go? Well, she had to try. Aish, why did her lucky number have to be so high? With a heavy heart, Aelita continued her walk home.

 _…19…_

Regret slowly began creeping up on her.

 _…20…_

Just one more to go. She didn't even realize how quickly this would go by. Even if number 21 was the wrong person, she could always skip him, right? Aelita shut her eyes and pressed her hands to her chest.

 _Aelita-ya, fighting_!

Stopping her steps, she opened her eyes again slowly, ready to face number 21. But… all she saw were girls.

Girls?!

She was already wishing she could go back to number 18. He was even interested in her, too. But that was when the door to the coffee shop opened, and Aelita's eyes widened. It was really a guy!

And mind you, he was _much_ better than number 18. Much, much better. He didn't look too young, or too old. And his body was just right, too, lean but built. Aelita mentally did a happy dance. All of her hard work had finally paid off!

She began to walk towards him, but then she felt her palms get sweaty. Her heart was beating fast, too, and there were butterflies in her stomach. She was so nervous. Just asking him out would be ridiculous, wouldn't it? She's never done anything like this before.

He was just five steps away now. And he looked even better up close. But he looked cold. So cold. Kind of like those cool boys in the Korean dramas when the girl first meets him. His handsome face didn't show any expression, either. He only stood there, staring lukewarmly at her.

There was no turning back. Besides, rejection was definitely the worst thing that could happen, and it's not like she could die from it. "Hello.." she said quietly, keeping her eyes to the floor.

He didn't respond. His eyes were only fixed on her, making her even more nervous. But she said it anyway, lifting her head to face him straight on. She couldn't let him intimidate her!

"How about going out for a date?"

* * *

Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think! Hearteu. :3


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Date

 _How about going out for a date?_

That one-liner had her heart pounding, her voice trembling. Her face was beet red, too, and she hoped he didn't notice while she cracked an awkward smile. Aelita didn't know how else she could phrase it. And his expression was cold and hostile from the start—how could he be interested in her at all?

Maybe he thought she was pulling a prank on him, and he wasn't amused. Aelita was about to give up, but then the corner of the boy's lips started moving upwards. _He was… smiling?_ And just that was enough to brighten his entire face.

"Let's go," he said. His voice wasn't low and gruff at all like a man's. It was comforting and more airy, like it came from a light and happy heart. Before Aelita knew it, his hand was wrapped around her wrist as he gently dragged her off along with him.

Her face turned even redder as she tried to move away. After all, she's never been held by a guy before. "W-wait!" she stammered. "Y-you'd just agree to me like that? I-I'm a complete stranger! What if I'm a bad person?"

The boy immediately turned around to face her. He had light brown eyes and a tiny face with kitten-like features. Absolutely striking. And his hair was a gorgeous shade of blonde, neatly slicked up to a point. Aelita never seen anything like it, but everything strangely worked for him.

"Well, are you?" Without giving a warning, he leaned in close towards her face, and his breath tickled her nose while he spoke. _This boy…really is something_. First he looked all cold, and now he was all smiles and his face was _this_ close. His beautiful face… wait, what did he ask again?

The boy chuckled and waved a hand in front of Aelita. Her deep green eyes, which were the size of saucers now, followed it blankly. "N-no!" she managed to stammer out. "I'm not a bad person! I've never been called to the principal's office or anything!" She certainly didn't want him to think wrongly of her.

"Thought so." He looked up towards the sky, and then around him. "So? Date, right? What do you want to do?" He smiled widely at her again, and that was when Aelita realized she hadn't had anything planned.

After all, she never expected for someone to agree to her this quickly and enthusiastically. "Where to go..?" she repeated in a daze. This boy was nearly holding her hand. And, oh, how warm it felt around her wrist!

"You didn't have anything planned, did you?"

"How about going to the library?" she asked him. Her face lit up with a new idea. "It looks fun there!"

Surprised by the suggestion, his mouth was slightly agape while his eyebrow twitched. "Th-the library?" he repeated, his voice suddenly _very_ high-pitched. "That's no fun. I'm a very loud person, so the lady will probably keep telling us to be quiet and all."

He was pouting, and Aelita watched him silently. _This boy was cute._ He was also different, charismatic yet childish at the same time, with the ability to make decisions as fast as lightning. "Let's just go eat somewhere," he finally suggested. Once again, he took hold of Aelita's wrist. "I'll treat you!"

.

"I'll have three plates of the spicy rice cakes and two of the soft tofu stew," he said, scanning his eyes down the menu. "Then two of the banana milks!" The waitress moved frantically to scribble down all his requests.

Licking his lips in anticipation, he then turned to look at Aelita. "What about for you?" he asked happily, handing the laminated menu to her. The restaurant was small and comfy, serving dishes a mother would normally make for her child.

Aelita gazed at him in a stupor. "Those are all for you?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yep!" He bobbed his head joyfully.

 _What a big appetite_ , she thought as she quietly began looking through the menu herself. He was still so thin. And what could _she_ eat? After ordering, she continued watching him quietly, tapping her chopsticks against the brim of her bowl. She wanted to ask him one thing.

"Was there anything you wanted to say?" he asked her, looking deep into her eyes.

 _Is he a psychic, or what?_ "How did you know what I was thinking?" she responded. "Can you read minds, or something?" After all this, she honestly wouldn't be surprised.

"I could just tell by your face," he told her, taking a bite out of one of the rice cakes. It was chewy and made a lot of noise inside his mouth. A little bit of the spicy sauce dripped from the corner of his lips, too. "What was it you wanted to ask me?"

Aelita subconsciously touched her face as he continued his meal. The boy was suddenly laughing at her. What the heck? "N-nothing," she stuttered shyly. "I was just wondering why you would agree to me so easily."

"Would you like it if I didn't?" He shot her a blank look.

"Aren't you going to ask me why I asked you out?" she shot back, suddenly getting frustrated.

"Would you tell me if I asked?" His tone was challenging. Aelita didn't know what to say after that—she was only surprised and frustrated by how well he was dodging all of her questions. Could he be playing with her? Before she could lash out, he cut her off.

"It's okay, I didn't even ask," he ended with another one of his reassuring smiles.

.

They found themselves on the streets of Myeong-dong after their meal. "Where are you from? You don't seem to be familiar with this place," Aelita said as she watched him scan around the area. It didn't look like he knew the place very well.

"Just…somewhere," he replied with a smirk. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his shorts. "So where do you want to go now, Aelita-ya?" He easily took a few steps ahead of her, pushing the conversation to a different direction.

Aelita blinked. "H-how… how do you know my name?" She didn't remember telling him what it was.

He leaned into her, pointing to the name tag that was pinned to her formal blazer. "Seu-Ton-Su E-Lee-Ta," he sounded out the characters, beaming another smile her way. _Stones Aelita_. She had completely forgotten that she was still wearing her school uniform.

She found herself eyeing him again. His voice echoed so much within her ears, that she almost couldn't hear anything else. And lot of people have said her name. It's just.. this boy managed to make it sound _so_ special. Was it his voice, or just who he was as a person?

"You stare a lot," he commented, genuinely amused by her. "Am I too handsome?"

Aelita's cheeks flushed scarlet. "NO!" she quickly denied.

He frowned. "So I'm ugly?" In just seconds, his tone of voice managed to go from happy to disappointed.

Aelita shook her head quickly. "N-no! I didn't mean it like that! It's just-"

"So I really am handsome?" He didn't even wait for her to finish. His face had brightened up instantly.

So Aelita bit her lip, burying her chin into her scarf. "Yes," she sighed calmly, conceding to him. Well, it _was_ a fact. There was no point in denying the truth.

"Hah. I knew it." He pumped-fisted the air in victory. Aelita was about to berate him for being outright conceited, but that was when Twice's _"Cheer Up_ " started playing. Her cellphone was ringing, and the caller ID told Aelita that it was her best friend, Yumi, calling.

"Yumi-ssi."

" _Aelita-ya, where are you_?"

"Myeong-dong."

" _Do you realize what time it is? Manager Kim is going to get angry when he realizes that you're late!_ "

Aelita gasped, cupping her mouth with her hand in shock. _Oh, no!_ How could she forget about her part-time job?! She quickly glanced at the boy, then back. "I'll be there soon!" she squealed into the receiver.

" _You better!_ " Yumi was bellowing.

 _Click_. "I'm sorry, I have to go now. I forgot I had to do something." Aelita bowed to her date politely several times, because she felt terrible. "I had fun today, thank you!" Then she ran off, not giving him the time to speak or reply.

He shook his head, chuckling again. "Aelita-ya, you're going to regret not asking for my name," he said, watching her figure grow smaller in the distance.


End file.
